HEALTH campaigners dropped a banner off Westminster Bridge on Saturday as part of a nationwide protest against Britain’s lethal shortage of hospital beds.

There have been 5,449 “avoidable” deaths of people in need of urgent attention as a direct result of waiting too long on trolleys for medical attention, according to research by two emergency doctors.

The shameful figure was displayed on a banner draped on the side of Westminster Bridge in London as part of Winter Crisis National Day of Action in defence of the NHS.